This invention relates to air conditioning systems that include the feature of heating, cooling, humidifying and dehumidifying an air flow stream, using a hot fluid source when heating, in a fluid loop circulating configuration. The improved air conditioning system uses a hot water control valve and a bypass valve in combination with a check valve in a fluid communicative system including reheat, cooling and precooling coils to condition an air flow stream.
Conventional and known air conditioning systems have been designed to attempt to work without the need for direct heat oil or gas burning systems. However, these systems tend to be inefficient and subject to failure. An example of elements that would be used in such existing systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,862. While this invention addresses various elements to be used in a system, it does not solve or anticipate the solution to the problem of inefficient operation of air conditioning systems due to improper fan control, fluid loop pressure imbalances during operation and the formation of gas bubbles when domestic water is used as the fluid source for a water loop system.
The present invention has a circulating fluid system that may use a water loop system for use with a hot water heating system that is moderated by a check valve with a lower system air pressure drop than a system with separate heating and cooling circuits such as a heat pipe system. No combustion air is required such as with a furnace or electric heat elements in the air duct system as with an air-to-air heat pump. The hot water supply may be kept at approximately 135 degrees to minimize formation of bacteria in the domestic hot water supply system. The system may also be operated in a whole house dehumidification mode with minimal energy consumption. By control setting of the operational sequencing of fluid flow, and air flow fan speed the latent capacity of the system is enhanced and the air conditioning system may perform properly while in low speed fan and fluid flow to save energy consumption. A further feature allows operation of the system to deliver low space humidity levels in a building.
As can be seen, there is a need for a multioperational mode air conditioning system that may use domestic hot water as a heat source and that operates efficiently to condition an air stream flow.